I just purchased a new Bennington SSRX24 and yesterday was our first day on the lake. At the end of the day when we were putting the boat into the boat slip, we had to lower the cradle about six inches lower than when we put it in the cradle earlier in the day. Once we raised the boat out of the water with the lift, a large amount of water drained from the boat. Is this normal? It was after dark, so I couldn't tell where the water was coming from but assumed it was from the pontoons themselves.
Pontoon Tubes taking in water.
- Thread starter KEC
- Start date
adkboater
Well-Known Member
If it's a triple tube without sealed lifting strakes they will drain out along with the wings on the outer tubes. I would assume if you had that much water come out that fast from pontoons you'd noticed it a lot sooner. As for the height in the water I can't help you there unless you pulled back with all your passengers and gear onboard as to when you removed it with maybe only your self onboard?
Dev75
Well-Known Member
Not sure if this is the case with you but I have unsealed lifting strakes and I also have drainage as my boat is trailered. The rear of the strake is an open circular hole where I see rapid drainage as it is going onto the trailer.
Here is a photo ( Lifting strake ) of my lifting strake if it helps.
Here is a photo ( Lifting strake ) of my lifting strake if it helps.
Last edited by a moderator:
cwag911
Moderator
It's either the strakes or the motor pod that's draining. Normal.
JTaylor
Well-Known Member
I lot of water comes out of the motor.
ILLINOIS AVE
Well-Known Member
So what is a Lifting Strake used for ? Lifting the boat or helping the boat plane out?
Indian_Lake_Bum
Well-Known Member
For us the draining water sound normally is the lifting strakes as well as the transom (motor mount and fuel tank location) draining out. And also mentioned there is quite a bit of water that drains out of the motor once it is up on the lift. Tilt your motor up out of the water once and see how much drains out after it has been running....you'll be amazed.
Regarding the lowering of the lift cradle to get back into your dock. Did you fill up with fuel before coming back in by chance? Pick up a few extra passengers......we've done that when we ran into friends while out eating someplace and took them out for a boat ride then drop them off back at their car after we dock the boat. We marked the pvc tubes that are mounted around the lifting cables at our docks with a stripe of vinyl tape (like electrical tape only we used blue). That marks the depth the cradle needs to be for us to get out of our dock and back in later.....so far it has worked out great for us. Lower the boat cradle till the blue tape is at the top of the water level and you're good to go (takes the guesswork out of lowering the boat). If the lake is lower than normal the cradle goes down further to get the same result as if it was at a higher lake level.
You can't see the tape in that pic (is below the rubrail and deck) but the white pvc on the port side has the markings on it so when we are lifting the cradle from the switch at the stern you can see the tape line easily. If you do a lot of boating at night you could use reflective vinyl (sign maker shop should have reflective) or just a piece of a sticky back reflector would work for your line marking. Don't have the pvc over the lifting cables then you could just wrap a short section of tape around the cable its self and leave a flag sticking out to make the mark easier to see when at lake level.
Regarding the lowering of the lift cradle to get back into your dock. Did you fill up with fuel before coming back in by chance? Pick up a few extra passengers......we've done that when we ran into friends while out eating someplace and took them out for a boat ride then drop them off back at their car after we dock the boat. We marked the pvc tubes that are mounted around the lifting cables at our docks with a stripe of vinyl tape (like electrical tape only we used blue). That marks the depth the cradle needs to be for us to get out of our dock and back in later.....so far it has worked out great for us. Lower the boat cradle till the blue tape is at the top of the water level and you're good to go (takes the guesswork out of lowering the boat). If the lake is lower than normal the cradle goes down further to get the same result as if it was at a higher lake level.
You can't see the tape in that pic (is below the rubrail and deck) but the white pvc on the port side has the markings on it so when we are lifting the cradle from the switch at the stern you can see the tape line easily. If you do a lot of boating at night you could use reflective vinyl (sign maker shop should have reflective) or just a piece of a sticky back reflector would work for your line marking. Don't have the pvc over the lifting cables then you could just wrap a short section of tape around the cable its self and leave a flag sticking out to make the mark easier to see when at lake level.
cwag911
Moderator
Helping it get up on plane.
lakeliving
Well-Known Member
With our last boat water would drain from the strakes. With our current one we went for sealed strakes and no more drainage. The 6" drop to get the boat in is what has me puzzled. That is a big difference when you consider the small draft of these boats. How did the boat handle prior to putting it back in the lift?